Lead Practitioner – Forensic Autism Service | Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire Care Foundation Trust; Preston; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 7 Lead Practitioner for the Forensic Autism Service. You will lead cases, provide expert clinical interventions to autistic adults over 16 with forensic risk, and act as a clinical leader within the team.

You will supervise staff, mentor junior clinicians, and collaborate across Lancashire & South Cumrbia with multi-agency partners to ensure high-quality, evidence-based care and robust risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert clinical leadership and direct interventions for autistic adults over 16 with forensic risk.
• Lead and supervise a team, mentoring junior staff and coordinating care pathways.
• Collaborate with multiple agencies across Lancashire and South Cumbria to support service users.
• Maintain high levels of evidence-based clinical practice and contribute to Care Processes and Pathways.

Job description

Lead Practitioner – Forensic Autism Service | Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Forensic Autism Service for a band 7 Lead Practitioner to join our team.

The successful applicant will be the lead practitioner for cases and work as part of the leadership team providing expert advice, direct clinical interventions with service users and families and support and clinical leadership to autistic adults over 16, who are presenting with significant forensic risk.

The successful applicants will carry a caseload of service users with complex needs and will provide specialist risk management strategies and interventions for people referred to the service, and where necessary signpost and refer to appropriate services or agencies.

You will be responsible for the maintenance of high levels of evidence-based clinical practice, contributing to and facilitating Care Processes and Pathways.

The post includes managing and supervising the work of others and acting as a mentor and preceptor for junior staff.

The ability to work independently as well as within a team will also be required.

The candidates will also be required to joint work with multiple agencies and service providers across Lancashire and South Cumbria which will require excellent communication skills.

The successful applicant will be working as part of the leadership team providing expert advice, direct clinical interventions with service user and families and support and clinical leadership to adults over 16 with autism and who have forensic risk.

You will provide specialist interventions for people referred to the service, and where necessary signpost and refer to appropriate services or agencies.

You will be responsible for the maintenance of high levels of evidence-based clinical practice, contributing to and facilitating Care Processes and Pathways.

You will manage and supervise the work of others, and act as a mentor and preceptor.

The ability to work independently as well as within a team will also be required.

Candidates will need to be IT literate and have experience using digital clinical records, as well as the desire to explore new ways of engaging with stakeholders using technology.

The candidate will also be required to joint work with multiple agencies and service providers across Lancashire & South Cumrbia which will require excellent communication skills.

The service operates 5 days a week; Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and covers the whole of the trust footprint.

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time.

The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.

Explore our full wellbeing offer here:Keeping our workforce well

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

This advert closes on Friday 30 Oct 2026

£49,387 - £64,750 per annum (subject to confirmation)